Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 5/14/2025

May 14th, 2025

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of May 14, 2025 @ 5:00 p.m.
Carroll Town Hall Community Room
The Carroll Energy Commission mission is to advise, encourage, and facilitate energy conservation, energy efficiency, and clean energy solutions for public buildings and properties, businesses, and resident homes. The Committee shall provide leadership and direction for community education relating to energy and shall propose and explore funding for local energy projects.
These minutes of the Town of Carroll Energy Commission have been recorded by its Secretary. Though believed to be accurate and correct they are subject to additions, deletions, and corrections by the Energy Commission at its next meeting when the Commission votes its final approval of the minutes. They are being made available at this time to conform to the requirements of New Hampshire RSA 91-A:2.

Minutes recorded by Imre Szauter, Secretary

Commission members in attendance: Member John Greer, Member Karen Moran, Member and Select Board Representative Brian Mycko, Vice Chair and Secretary Imre Szauter, and Chair Bill Vecchio. Member Vern Amirault was excused.

Members of the public in attendance in person: Lori Hogan, Carroll resident and CEO of Littleton Water & Light; Greg Hogan, resident and retired Carroll Public Works Director; Andrew Bernstein, Founder of Kearsarge Energy; and Malcolm Bliss, Senior Director Energy Markets at Kearsarge Energy. There were no Zoom attendees at the meeting.

The meeting was called to order at 5:03 p.m. by Vice Chair Szauter.

Vice Chair Szauter invited all attendees to rise and join in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Vice Chair Szauter welcomed members and guests, and stated that he was chairing the meeting at Chair Vecchio’s request.

Vice Chair Szauter invited members and guests to introduce themselves.

Vice Chair Szauter stated he would entertain a motion on the Apr. 9, 2025 meeting minutes. Member Mycko motioned to accept the minutes as written. Member Moran seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS.

Vice Chair Szauter stated that he had been contacted by Lori Hogan several months ago about the town’s interest in solar PV array projects. She reported that Littleton Water & Light had been working with Kearsarge Energy on a distributed generation (DG) project on their former landfill and thought the Carroll Energy Commission might be interested in learning how a similar project on Carroll’s former landfill might work. Energy Commission members welcomed the opportunity and offered Mr. Bernstein and Mr. Bliss the first spot for their presentation under New Business.

Mr. Bernstein introduced his presentation, Ground-Mounted Solar PV System on Capped Landfill, Prepared for Carroll Energy Commission 5/14/2025, by providing a brief history of Kearsarge Energy and stated their specialty is DG projects of 5MW AC or smaller. He highlighted Kearsarge Energy’s approach is start to finish, including design, development, financing, ownership and operations. Mr. Bernstein emphasized the geographic range of their projects throughout New England, with heavy focus on New Hampshire. He stressed their commitment to success through ownership and operation of all projects they develop and build.

Mr. Bernstein reviewed a sampling of DG projects on landfills, former burn dumps, and brownfields. He provided a satellite image of the Carroll transfer station property with an outlined area that could host a solar PV array system that would be minimally visible to transfer station visitors and abutters. Mr. Bernstein offered the highlighted area of about 7 or 8 acres could host a 3 MW AC solar PV array, although higher output solar PV panels might reduce the total area required and/or increase the possible output of the project.

Mr. Bernstein highlighted current challenges, including utility connections, availability of replacement transformers (required to handle solar PV array system output), cost of tariffs, supply chain issues, and threats to the ITC/IRA (Investment Tax Credit/Inflation Reduction Act). He closed by suggesting next steps if the Energy Commission is interested in following up. Members asked questions about costs, system decommissioning, security, maintenance, insurance, and contracts.

Following Mr. Bernstein’s presentation, members were polled on their interest in following up on this proposal. Members agreed a project of this type could benefit the town, so Mr. Bernstein offered to provide a rough draft and overview presentation for the Energy Commission at a future meeting and include the Select Board, if appropriate. Members thanked Mr. Bernstein and Mr. Bliss for their overview, answers to questions, and their offer to continue these discussions in the future.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on NHDOE (Dept. of Energy) Municipal Solar Grant Program kickoff meeting of May 1, 2025. Member Moran felt the meeting went well, covered a lot of information, and that she was thankful that Ted Vansant of Barrington Solar participated. Members discussed scenarios under which changes to the availability of grant funding might impact the project, and how the town might address each situation. Overall, members were pleased with how the meeting transpired and are looking forward to the project beginning in earnest very soon.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on the Barrington Solar LLC contract. He commented that the Select Board voted to approve signing the contract on May 6 and did so at their meeting, and it was countersigned by Jack Bingham on May 8. Barrington Solar LLC submitted its first invoice in the amount of $7,588.00 for Milestone #1 Contract Signing. The Select Board approved the invoice as well.

Vice Chair Szauter commented that these and all future project documents should be available to all Energy Commission members (and other authorized parties) through another mechanism besides email attachments. A question was asked during the May 1 NHDOE Kickoff meeting if the state had a secure document repository that could be used for our project; Paige Relf replied in a recent email that they did not. Vice Chair Szauter and Member Mycko will collaborate on setting up a cloud-based document storage system for our use.

Members had additional discussion on the uncertainties of funding projects through federal and state grant programs, and all agreed that proceeding with the solar PV array system project is in the current best interest of the town. If something interrupts the grant funding stream, the Select Board would be involved in determining, perhaps with town counsel’s assistance, on options to proceed as planned.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on the Energy Evaluation of Town of Carroll Wells/Water Treatment Building & Tanks Report of Dec. 18, 2024 (NHDES & PES). In the absence of Public Works Director, Scott Sonia from the meeting, Vice Chair Szauter suggested tabling this topic for future consideration. Member Moran stated she developed many questions during and after reading the evaluation, and would be comfortable postponing discussion until later. Member Mycko stated that the town’s water system condition is a top priority and should receive attention to review and consider measures to enhance it.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on potential funding sources for future projects. Chair Vecchio distributed a list of funding sources that were identified by the Historical Society during its search of grant, rebate, and low-cost loan providers. Potential funding sources for future Energy Commission projects might include Eversource Energy, the Tillotson Fund, and the Northern Border Regional Commission.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on a draft letter of recognition to Eversource Energy on behalf of Chris Phillips, technician with NH New Service group. Mr. Phillips has been working with the town for about two years, first with replacement of malfunctioning streetlights, and more recently with Affinity LED Lighting before, during, and after the Dec. 2024 streetlight LED conversion. Member Mycko made a motion to have the Energy Commission sign and send the letter. Member Moran seconded the motion. With no further discussion, the motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS. The final letter was circulated and signed by each member present; Vice Chair Szauter will contact Member Amirault for his signature.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on a Carroll main point of contact for the Municipal Solar Grant Program project. This issue was raised during the May 1 NHDOE Kickoff meeting, in that there should be town- and contractor-designated contacts for communications with MPACT Strategic Consulting LLC staff, the firm engaged to conduct Davis-Bacon and Related Acts compliance for projects funded under the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. Members had concerns about what responsibilities the town-designated contact would take on, something unknown at this time.

To this end, NHDOE’s Paige Relf offered a Teams meeting for those interested in asking questions and sharing concerns about the grant program. The Teams meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 16 at 2:00 p.m. Members were encouraged to attend and bring their concerns, including a better explanation of what is required of the town-designated contact. They agreed to table selection of a town-designated contact until after the Teams meeting, although Member Moran expressed a preliminary interest in taking on the role, with Chair Vecchio offering to assist.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on possible pancake breakfast residential energy savings information handouts and/or demonstrations near the Public Safety building. Chair Vecchio suggested a pop-up canopy under which NHSaves Button Up promotional materials and other energy-conservation information could be distributed. As President of the Twin Mountain Fire Dept. Auxiliary, Member Moran thought that would be a great idea and stated that she supports going forward with the idea. Ideas were proposed for the display, including LED lights and the demo streetlight unit, the Kill-A-Watt meter on loan from the Twin Mountain library, and others. Member Mycko offered to assist with preparation.

Under Old Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on new projects and priorities. Of the four previously identified, members agreed earlier to table the Energy Evaluation of Town of Carroll Wells/Water Treatment Building & Tanks Report of Dec. 18, 2024; discussed and agreed to table further discussion of a solar PV array system near the pump station, given the earlier presentation by representatives of Kearsarge Energy; discussed and agreed to table further discussion on assisting an initiative to replace the current highway garage. The remaining potential project, a solar PV array system located near the transfer station, was discussed by Kearsarge Energy at the beginning of the meeting.

Member Mycko stated that water system upgrades and modernization may take on a new urgency, and suggested members keep this project in mind as one in which the Energy Commission might be able to provide significant contributions on grants, rebates, and low-cost loan sources.

Under Old Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on Affinity LED Lighting street light conversion updates. He offered that the April Eversource Energy streetlight invoice was an improvement over the March invoice, but still had unresolved legacy streetlights listed. Eversource Energy has been notified and the town is awaiting resolution on several inconsistencies between the Affinity LED Lighting audit results and the current Eversource Energy ledger.

Vice Chair Szauter stated that a physical inventory of reusable Eversource Energy-supplied LED streetlights taken down during the Dec. 2024 conversion resulted in fewer-than-expected spares that might be designated for other uses.

Vice Chair Szauter acknowledged that ownership and maintenance responsibilities for the segment of Rosebrook Lane between US-302 and Remick Lane in Bretton Woods are still unresolved, as significant research by Member Amirault, Select Board Chair Bonnie Moroney, and others has not yielded a definitive answer. Members agreed that the three high pressure sodium streetlights on Rosebrook Lane, currently included in the Eversource Energy monthly streetlight invoices, should remain unchanged until this issue is resolved.

Vice Chair Szauter stated that progress has been made on receiving and processing Eversource Energy invoices in a timely manner, as the town is now enrolled in paperless billing (no more USPS-delivered paper invoices) for all ten regular accounts and that the Eversource Energy streetlight account invoice will be available via electronic download the first business day of each month. These steps should alleviate late fees and streamline the administrative assistant and treasurer’s handling of Eversource Energy accounts.

Vice Chair Szauter offered that additional information is still needed before making a decision on whether to move forward with installation of a metal shield on an Affinity LED Lighting-installed LED streetlight on US-3N. An estimate has been received from the electrical contractor for Affinity LED Lighting, but the town is still waiting for a response from Eversource Energy as to whether they would do the shield installation.

Under Old Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on the NHDOE Municipal Solar Grant Program. He stated that a building permit is required for the Public Safety building solar PV array system installation and that Ted Vansant of Barrington Solar LLC has agreed to complete and submit the permit application. In conversation with town Building Inspector, David Scalley offered there would be no fee for the permit. Member Mycko advised that the Select Board would have final say on waiving the fee for the building permit application, as municipal building projects are typically not charged a fee.

Under Old Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on the Horizons Engineering invoice for the second half of the Public Safety building structural roof analysis. He stated that he misunderstood the original estimate for the required certified structural engineer’s letter; the initial invoice was only for the Dec. 13, 2024 site visit by Jack Young, P.E. of Horizons Engineering and inspection of the Public Safety building and construction documents, not including the actual letter that was required under the NHDOE Municipal Solar Grant Program. An updated invoice was received that included charges for the letter, so the total cost was higher than originally anticipated. The Select Board reviewed and approved the updated invoice at their May 6 meeting, and the Energy Commission 2025 budget will be updated to reflect the higher expenditure.

Under Other, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on information provided by Member Greer on a recently-announced Eversource Energy New Hampshire Clean Energy Fund (NHCEF) for Battery Storage Program. Member Greer read from the news release regarding the offered reimbursement for residential and commercial accounts that install grid-connected battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Under Other, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on the May 13 email from Paige Relf at NHDOE announcing a “…need to pause (not cancel) all physical commencement of solar projects; most likely until mid-June (roughly 3 weeks).” due to USDOE LCPTracker team ongoing software issues and the timing of required MPACT (based in Texas) scheduling of required site visits (one per project location). The previously-announced May 16 Teams meeting will address these issues and seeks to answer questions and concerns from town project teams.

Vice Chair Szauter polled members for additional topics under Other. Chair Vecchio inquired about whose responsibility it is to complete the NHDOE Commercial and Industrial (C&I) incentive application for the project. Vice Chair Szauter replied that Ted Vansant of Barrington Solar LLC had previously committed to completing and filing the application on the town’s behalf.

With no additional items for discussion, Vice Chair Szauter entertained a motion for adjournment. Member Moran motioned to adjourn. Chair Vecchio seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 7:12 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary

Carroll Energy Commission
Vern Amirault, Member, 2023-2025
John Greer, Member, 2023-2025
Karen Moran, Member, 2025-2027
Brian Mycko, Member and Select Board representative, 2023-2026
Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary, 2025-2027
Bill Vecchio, Chair, 2023-2026
Note: terms end in October of the listed year